You are here

Fair Football World Cup

The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), as the organizer of the World Cup events, has the responsibility to ensure fair and sustainable games. Alas, during the preparations for the World Cup, and the games themselves, violations of human rights continued to occur. The FIFA could have inaugurated a new era with a Social Responsibility Charter for major sporting events: Fair Games for All!

Human rights have regularly been violated in connection with football World Cups. As part of the preparations for WC events, people have been expelled and street merchants have lost their source of income. The human rights situation is also precarious for the Russian 2018 and Qatar 2022 Games. Migrant workers are being exploited regularly on the infrastructure and stadium construction sites.

WORLD CUP PROFITS AND COSTS

Major construction sites in Qatar have had numerous fatalities and the “Kafala system”, depriving workers of their civil liberties, remains the rule. In Russia the applicable workers rights are being undermined for the sake of the WC. This was already observed in Brazil and South Africa. The principle behind the football WC can be characterized as “the people pay the price, FIFA takes the profit”.

SOLIDAR SUISSE ACTIONS

Solidar Switzerland uses public relations, campaigns, research and discussions to convince FIFA to accept its social responsibility. Furthermore, Solidar Switzerland supports projects to aid migrant workers in Qatar. More recently, in February 2016, in connection with the FIFA presidential campaign, Solidar Switzerland authored a letter to the president which was signed online by roughly 5000 people. The letter was sent to the new president, Gianni Infantino, together with the Social Responsibility Charter, with 10000 signatures. This charter contains the following points:

Protection of human rights

Commitment to minimum working standards at the construction sites as well as for the street vendors (no sales restrictions, fair pay, respect of the basic conditions of the International Labour Organization such as prohibiting forced labour, racial discrimination and child labour as well as preserving the freedom of assembly and association

Absence of taxation exemption privileges for FIFA and their sponsors in the host country.

Absence of special FIFA-oriented laws such as outlawing strikes before the WC.

Definition of ecological criteria for the host country.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION'S ULTIMATUM FOR QATAR

In spite of several improvements the ILO finds that urgent action is needed to improve the situation of migrant workers in Qatar. They represent 90% of the population and many endure very poor living conditions and forced labour due to the Kafala system. If the new Qatar labour law doesn't yield a significant improvement for the workers, the ILO will ask for an investigation next year to increase pressure on Qatar (and FIFA).

Soziale Medien

About Solidar Suisse

We fight for decent work, democratic participation, and social justice worldwide. On behalf of our donors, we put solidarity into action in over 60 projects in four continents. With foresight and ambition we eliminate social wrongs, and create possibilities and prospects for disadvantaged people.

Postkonto 80-188-1 | IBAN: CH67 0900 0000 8000 0188 1 | SWIFT-BIC: POFICHBEXXX
Data protection: Your personal data will only be used for internal purposes. We do not pass on any addresses to other organisations and fully comply with the legal requirements of data protection. You will find the details in our detailed data protection declaration.